Homeowners who were placed into proactive forbearance plans by Wells Fargo received positive news this week. Law360 reports that on Nov. 2, in response to a class action lawsuit filed in Virginia, Wells Fargo agreed not to place homeowners into
Redfin saw slight revenue decrease in Q3, but surpassed projections
Redfin saw a revenue decrease of 1% year over year, to $237 million in the third quarter, above the company’s projected revenue of between $214 million and $225 million. In addition, its gross profit was $93 million, an increase of
Economists cautiously optimistic as unemployment rate falls to 6.9%
The U.S. unemployment rate in October hit a new pandemic low of 6.9%, down a full percentage point from September’s 7.9%, the Labor Department said on Friday. With 1.5 million people making up that one percentage drop, the department estimates that now 11.1
RE/MAX revenue in Q3 shows YoY decline
RE/MAX reported total revenue in the third quarter of $71.1 million, a decrease of $0.5 million, or 0.7%, compared to $71.5 million in Q3 2019. In Q2, total revenue was $52.2 million. The company said that total revenue decreased “primarily
The exodus continues: Northeastern housing markets fill up with former city dwellers
The pandemic-fueled exodus continues as apartment dwellers in big cities flee to the suburbs and beyond. The suburbs and rural areas of the Northeast are attracting more homebuyers, as Redfin reports that three out of the 10 metro areas with
What would the CFPB look like under a Biden administration?
The outcome of the presidential election is still uncertain, but there’s at least an even chance that former Vice President Joe Biden will be named the winner at some point. If that happens, what should the mortgage industry expect as
Fannie Mae names Sheila Bair chair of their board of directors
Fannie Mae announced Wednesday that Sheila Bair, board member and former chair of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. during the financial crisis, will succeed Jonathan Plutzik as chair of Fannie Mae’s board of directors. Bair joined the Fannie Mae board
You’re a Squirrel — Start Marketing Like One
Squirrels are always a little skittish, but as winter approaches, they really ramp it up. Why? Squirrels’ food sources — seeds, nuts, fruits, fungi — become extremely scarce in the winter, and so they have to act fast to make
The vote is in: Borrowers want RON
This year, remote online notarizations have taken a major step forward as more borrowers than ever are using eClosing platforms. And the consensus is in: borrowers like RON. A new study conducted by ClosingCorp shows borrowers who completed purchase and
What role can mortgage brokers play in fair housing?
The National Association of Mortgage Brokers inaugurated Kimber White as its new president during the virtual NAMB National 2020 conference. White is a partner at RE Financial Service and has been an active member of the mortgage industry for more
Keller Williams reports 25.4% increase in Q3 volume
Keller Williams released its numbers for home searches, agents and transactions for the third quarter on Thursday, revealing that as of Sept. 30, Keller Williams agents in the U.S. and Canada closed 374,824 transactions, up 16% over Q3 2019. Agents
With Biden win likely, FHFA doubles down on ending GSE conservatorship
The Federal Housing Finance Agency will continue its mission to release the GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from conservatorship, even under a Biden presidency, a spokesperson from the FHFA told HousingWire Thursday. With four states still counting ballots, the
What a Biden victory would mean for housing
As results trickle in following a historic 2020 general election, results seem to be leaning toward a Joe Biden victory, but potentially also a Republican-led Senate. What would the impact of a Biden presidency be on housing? “For the mortgage
Mortgage rates drop to another historic low at 2.78%
The average U.S. mortgage rate for a 30-year fixed loan fell 3 basis points this week to 2.78%, Freddie Mac said in a report on Thursday, the lowest rate in the survey’s near 50-year history. This week’s rate broke the previous record low on
Amid record-high origination volumes, mortgage fraud risk is down – Here’s why
In its annual Mortgage Fraud Report, CoreLogic found that the risk of mortgage fraud for the 12 months ending June 2020 decreased 26.3% year-over-year nationally. Applications for investment properties showed the highest risk, while VA-based programs showed the lowest. The
Multi-closing fraud risk holds steady in 2020
A new annual report from CoreLogic shows multi-closing fraud risk held steady in 2020 after having decreased the past several years. “Multi-lien fraud is an extremely profitable scam that takes advantage of the lag between closing and records to solicit
Speed up the closing process with industry-leading solutions
The mortgage industry is no stranger to disruption since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lenders have seen it all this year: high volumes, volatility, market uncertainty… the list goes on and on. Amid evolving market conditions, today’s mortgage lenders
Home prices jump 6.7% in September, but are expected to moderate
Despite home prices rising 6.7% year over year in September, CoreLogic’s Home Price Index Forecast (HPI) estimates home prices will moderate next year, increasing 0.2% nationally by September 2021 as higher prices erode affordability. Home purchase demand managed to maintain
Real estate tech roundup: Hubzu and Brookfield Residential
Online real estate marketing platform Hubzu has launched a new mobile app, available for residential real estate buyers. The app offers potential buyers tools to find, research and bid on homes via a competitive auction format. Hubzu is an end-to-end
How the National Flood Insurance Program’s recent extension provides stability for the housing market
The National Flood Insurance Program’s authority to issue policies was recently extended for a full year, until September 30, 2021. This is the 16th short-term extension of the NFIP since Congress reauthorized the program in 2012 and extended it in
Simplify complex lending processes with powerful analytics
As a premier provider of innovative, high-performance software, data and analytics for mortgage and home equity lending and servicing, Black Knight is transforming the housing finance industry. With highly advanced software solutions for originations, servicing and secondary marketing, Black Knight
A home shopper’s guide to navigating a competitive market
Millions of people are locking in their dream to own a home. So, what’s stopping you from the exciting homeownership journey? Despite the fact that low housing inventory is making it a competitive market, people are still buying and listing
Mortgages in forbearance fall across all loan types
The U.S. forbearance rate measuring the share of mortgages with suspended payments fell seven basis points to 5.83% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. “With more borrowers exiting forbearance in the prior week, the share of loans in forbearance declined across
Younger generations want to become homeowners – Here’s how the housing industry can help
Despite what many believe, Gen Z and Millennials do want to become homeowners and they’re excited by the prospect. However, they face different obstacles than their parents and grandparents did. These challenges include lack of mortgage education, lack of suitable
